Cars: A Series of Vignettes
by hollyberry29
Summary: A series of drabbles concerning my original characters and the residents of Radiator Springs. LightningSally
1. Author's Note

**Hello, and thank you for reading Cars: A Series of Vignettes. This story is exactly what the title states- a series of drabbles all concerning the McQueen family and the other residents of Radiator Springs. So yes, this story will contain original characters. Here is a bit of character info that might help you out while you are reading:**

Storm Hudson McQueen- Eldest child, Ford Thunderbird, Blue paint, green eyes, works for Luigi when he's not racing, number 33 in the Piston Cup, named for Doc Hudson.

Sadie Elaine McQueen- Second child, Ford GT, Blue paint, blue eyes, runs the Cozy Cone while her mother runs the Wheel Well, works as a lounge singer at the Wheel Well, enjoys writing songs and poetry, named for Sally's mother (Elaine Carrera).

Stacie Maureen McQueen- Third child, Porsche Boxter, Blue paint, blue eyes, camel ragtop, works as a waitress at Flo's, named for Sally (Sally Maureen Carrera McQueen).

Suzie Vivianne McQueen- Youngest child, Ford Mustang, Red paint, Blue eyes, dreams of being the first female car in the Piston Cup, named for Lightning's mother (Vivianne McQueen).

Drift and Jet- Stacie and Sadie's on and off boyfriends, respectively.

Henry Laredo- Ray and Carolina Laredo's only child, Mater's nephew, Ford Ranger 4WD Pickup, black paint, hazel eyes, enjoys going off-road, Suzie's best friend.

**Ye be warned, this story goes in and out of time. The character's ages are listed in bold before each new drabble.**

Have fun! And Review!


	2. Chapter 1: Waitresses and Room Service

**Disclaimer: I do not own Cars, the Cars characters, Disney, or Pixar. Though I wish I did. I could use the cash. However, I do own Suzie, Sadie, Storm, and Stacie. They are MY babies; so don't run off with them.**

**Sadie: Age 18**

**Stacie: Age 16**

Stacie slapped the red plastic tray on the countertop. Working at the V8 was the _last_ place Stacie wanted to be spending her precious Saturday.

"Sadie, table five, order up," she said dully. Her older sister, Sadie, an attractive French blue GT, was staring off into space. Stacie frowned.

"Sadie? Hello? Snap Snap! Earth to Ms. McQueen!" Sadie blinked.

"What? Oh, sorry Stace. I was just… thinking." Stacie smirked.

"Man, you are out of it. Stayed out too late cruising with Jet, eh?" Sadie narrowed her eyes.

"Can it," she snapped. Stacie's eyes lit up with mirth.

"Oh-ho! So defensive! Here. Table five's order, lover-lips!" Sadie roughly shouldered the tray on her lowered window.

"Brat," Sadie growled. Stacie giggled.

"You know it! Table nine, order up!"

**Storm: Age 19**

**Suzie: Age 8**

"_SSSTTTOOORRRMMM, go clean the Cozy Cones for your mother, pppllleeeaaassseee?_ Ugh, she's _killing_ me! Wasting a perfectly good Saturday on this crap… OOWW! Stupid buckets!"

The French blue Thunderbird racecar slammed the empty mop bucket against the motel room wall with his right tire.

"Hey Storm?"

Storm "Number 33" McQueen groaned. _'Stupid little sisters.' _

"What?" he snapped.

Suzie McQueen, an eight year old apple red Mustang, rolled closer to her brother.

"How come you're cleanin' the Cones?"

"It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it," he quipped, flinging an empty antifreeze can behind him. Suzie sidled out of the "line of fire."

"But, um… that's Sadie's job."

"Tell me about it," Storm grumbled.

"What?"

Storm sighed and turned to face his little sister. "Sadie is helping poor, defenseless Stacie out at Flo's, and I, the loving brother, 'volunteered' to take over her shift, a.k.a. Mom made me. Now, scoot. The faster I finish up here, the faster I can get back to practicing."

Suzie's eyes lit up. "Can I watch while you do laps? I promise I'll be reeeeeal quiet!"

Storm rolled his eyes and flashed her a grin. "Yes, you can watch."

Suzie bounced on her tires. "YES! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Suddenly, Storm got an idea. "Hey, why don't you help me out here? With two on the job, the work will go faster and we can practice sooner!" He gave her one of his most charming smiles.

Suzie snorted. "Oh yeah, sure thing Storm. I wasn't born yesterday! Later loser!" With that, Suzie pulled a donut, spraying gravel in Storm's face, and peeled out of the parking lot.

Storm spat out a mouthful of rocks. "Little Worm!" he screamed after her.

**Review! Be Gentle! I bruise easily!**


	3. Chapter 2: Baby Days

_Disclaimer: I own Storm. That's it. Oh, and Dash the ambulance. And Elaine and Vivianne. Everything else belongs to Disney/Pixar._

_Author's Note: Go to my profile and click on the homepage link. It's my Fanart Central Gallery. Check out The McQueen Family. I have other Cars pictures in my gallery. Now, on with the story!_

It was a lazy Sunday afternoon in Radiator Springs. A warm breeze blew pleasantly through the town, disrupting the wildflowers and tumbleweeds along the side of the road. It was the kind of day where everyone just wanted to stay home. And home they stayed.

Flo sighed. The V8 Café was dead. There were a few of the regular customers parked at their regular tables drinking their regular antifreeze. Overall, the day had proven to be uneventful. Flo's thoughts kept wandering to Lightning and Sally. The couple had just celebrated their 2-year wedding anniversary and was already celebrating the birth of their first child eight miles away, in Carburetor County Memorial Hospital.

Sally had gone into labor on Friday night. Lightning ran around like the village idiot, packing suitcases and babbling about calling Elaine and Vivianne, the soon to be grandmothers. It was Doc who picked up the phone and notified the hospital. The ambulance was there within fifteen minutes.

Lightning had called Doc at early on Saturday morning with news. Storm Hudson McQueen (Doc had cleared his throat, teary eyed at the name) was born at 5:30 a.m. coming in at two and a half feet in length and weighing an even forty-eight pounds. Sally was doing just fine. He said that they would be home on Sunday around noon.

Flo glanced at the clock. It was 12:15. The boys (Mater, Ramone, Sarge, and Fillmore) had put up a banner over Main Street. It was baby blue and read "Welcome Home, Mom and Dad!" There was also a huge cutout of a yellow lifting crane with Storm's name, date and time of birth, weight and length on it.

Suddenly, Mater burst through the double doors. "They're home! Everybody, come quick!" Flo's heart leaped to her throat. She quickly turned and thrust her fender through the swinging kitchen doors.

"Oh, Ramone, honey! Hurry, man the register for me! Sally and Lightning are home and I want to see the baby!" Flo backed out as Ramone came up from the back of the kitchen.

"Okay, but hurry back baby! The boys and I want to congratulate Lightning, and I got the finest cigars to commemorate the occasion!" Ramone said with a chuckle.

"That's a big 10-4 on that, Ramone!" Mater called before taking off to join the others on the main road. "Lightinin'! Miss Sally!" he cried joyfully.

Lightning was driving next to the ambulance. He smiled brilliantly at the crowd in the street and revved his engine in greeting. "Hey Mater! Hi everyone! Oh, wow… that was so nice of you all, putting up a banner! Sally, look!" Sally was slowly rolling out of the back of the ambulance. A black baby wrap was slung about her frame. Nestled against her right fender was a small mound, rising up and down with each breath.

"Oh, this is so sweet… Look at the crane! Thank you all, so much!" she said, her eyes filling with tears.

"Shoot, Miss Sally… it weren't nothing'! We're just glad ya'll made it home! But uh, what's that you got there?" he said teasingly, motioning at the baby.

"Oh, you mean this little fella here? We bought him on the toy aisle, you should get you one, Mater," Lightning said with a grin. He was signing off release forms for Dash, the ambulance. Lightning dipped his right tire in the inkpad and pressed it to the signature line. "Thanks again, buddy," he said.

"It was a pleasure, Mr. McQueen, and congratulations again. That's a fine boy you have there. I'll expect to see him on ESPN soon!" Dash said with a grin.

Lightning laughed. "One step at a time. Take care!" He turned back to see everyone fussing over the baby. Flo gently nudged back the edge of the baby sling. The tiny infant inside gave a little whine and snuggled closer to Sally. He was painted like her, metallic French blue, and shaped like Lightning.

"Oh, look at you!" Flo cooed. "He's gonna have Mama's dimples… look at those cheeks!"

Guido sniffed and murmured something in Italian to Luigi. Luigi gave a sigh. "Ah, Guido, he say _il ragazzo del bambino_ is exact color of the Tuscan summer sky… so blue!"

Doc nudged Sally's fender affectionately. "He's beautiful, Sally," the older racecar whispered. Sally smiled and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you," she replied, leaning against his side. Lightning rolled up beside her and nuzzled her other fender.

"He gets that from his mother," he said with his most debonair smile. Sally laughed.

"Oh, you!" she giggled, and pecked his lips in a soft kiss. Storm gave a fussy wail. "Shhh… okay… Mommy's here…" Sally soothed him with her gentle mantra. She looked up at her husband. "I think someone needs a nap… I could use one too. Go see the boys and we'll catch up this evening." Lightning smiled.

"That sounds like a good idea. I'm wired… I need to wind down a little anyway." Mater perked up.

"Shoot, we're gonna wind down all right! Ramone and Fillmore done stocked up on ceegars and octane! We're gonna have a good old time!" Lightning laughed.

"Sounds good, Mater!" He turned back to his wife. "We'll see you two later… I love you Sal." He kissed her tenderly. She smiled.

"I love you. Bye, daddy!" She said teasingly. Lightning winked and followed the crowd back to the V8. Sally sighed happily and drove down the street to she and Lightning's home. It was just a little place they had designed and built right after the honeymoon.

Sally punched in the code on the keypad and unlocked the front door. She smiled. Someone had cleaned the place up and left fresh flowers, blue "It's a Boy!" balloons, and an ice bucket with toulene and ethanol in the living room.

"Nice," she said, "I should have babies more often." Storm whined impatiently. Sally rolled down the hallway and nudged open the door to the freshly painted nursery. "Here we go, baby. Home, sweet home." Sally shimmied out of the wrap and eased Storm into the pale blue eyelet bassinet. He immediately fell asleep, his breathing slow and even. Sally smiled before settling low on her tires beside the crib. "Night Stormy…" she whispered.

_il ragazzo del bambino: the baby boy_

_Review, and I'll love you forever. Be gentle._


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